Culture Archives - The Culture Mom

04Jan

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Tour of New York City

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Photo by On Location Tours Disclosure: I was invited to review On Location Tours, but all opinions are my own. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, now in its third season, is one of my favorite shows of the last decade. Its depiction of a Jewish family in NYC in the late 1950s plus the writing by Amy Sherman-Palladino plus the acting plus the active chatter all resonate on a very personal level. I love the characters - they have spunk, charisma, charm, and a whole lot of Jewishness. The writing is also very unique, funny, and so very NYC - at least, the NYC Read More

04Nov

Guest Post: Why I’ve Taken My Kids to See the Big Apple Circus Four Years in a Row

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Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College. If you are wondering if it's worth the hassle to take your kids to sit in a tent to watch two hours of high energy circus performers? If you want to invest in pleasant childhood memories and support a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to make you and children happy, do it, Big Apple Circus is 100% worth the effort. If you also think, "Oh, again? I took my kids last year to Read More

27Sep

Renée Zellweger Takes “Judy” Somewhere Over the Rainbow

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Renée Zellweger and Finn Wittrock in JUDY Photo credit David Hindley Courtesy of LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions (1) copy

Photo credit: David Hindley Last week I went to a small screening of the new film "Judy" starring Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, and Michael Gambon. I was very excited about this film, as both a film buff and fan of Judy Garland herself. Her career was fascinating, and the end of her life so tragic, as she died at a young 47 years old (younger than me!). The film focuses on Winter 1969 when Garland's career in America was floundering. She was unable to care for her two young children and put a roof over their Read More

24Dec

Celebrating the Holidays with Alvin Ailey During Their 60th Anniversary Season

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Yesterday I was fortunate to attend Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's special Family Matinee series in Manhattan at City Center. I took my 14-year-old son to witness the greatness that this group of modern dancers brings to their work and I hope he remembers it for years to come. The program was Timeless Ailey, featuring over a dozen treasures from Mr. Ailey’s wonderfully rich body of work, including highlights of seldom-seen gems Mary Lou’s Mass and The Lark Ascending. The result was electrifying. My son had never been to a modern dance Read More

28Jul

Experiencing NYC as a Tourist: Virtual Reality Style

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Last week my son and I ventured downtown to experience THE RIDE. We had admittedly been lucky enough to experience it before, only this time it would be the virtual reality version. I chose it because my son is a techno geek, and I figured it would be something new and interesting for both of us. I also love NYC with all heart, so I'm always open to different ways to experience and learn more about the city. One thing I have to say that I love about THE RIDE in general is the tour guides. Like on our last tour, we had a fun, excited guide take us on our Read More

07May

How I’ll Be Spending Mother’s Day: At the Alamo Drafthouse (+ Giveaway)

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One of my favorite experiences these days is seeing movies at the Alamo Drafthouse. I actually had my first visit to an Alamo (yes, it's a chain) in Austin, Texas last year, and I was instantly hooked. It's a theater for the true movie buff, catering to those of us who truly love movies. The seats are plush and the menu (yes, you can order food) is really geared toward making it a complete film experience. It's the best of both worlds — a full restaurant menu of food, drinks, and refills — and great movies. From classic to foreign to the best of what's Read More

27Apr

Editor’s Pick: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical on Broadway

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Last night this musical theater lover was jumping in her seat. The show that brought to my feet was SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Donna Summer herself once said that she was the soundtrack to many people's youths, and indeed, while watching this show, I remembered how crucial she was to not only me in my earlier years, but to the rest of the world. After the first song, where one of the three actresses who play the role of musical icon Donna Summer (LaChanze, Ariana DeBose, and Storm Lever) are Read More

23Dec

Netflix: My Year in Review and Shows I am Thankful For

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Disclosure: As part of Netflix’s Stream Team, I get inside access to Netflix's programming and share my thoughts on their programming with my readers often. But as always, my thoughts are my own. Netflix just gets better and better. I've been a member since its humble start and am continuously impressed with its original and bold slate of programming, both original and acquired. It keeps my entire family occupied at various times of the day and night. My teenage daughter is obsessed with its offerings, many of which I used to watch at one point in Read More

19Dec

Reflecting on Meeting Some of the Cast and Crew from “The Greatest Showman,” a Musical Feast

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Disclosure: I attended a screening and press junket hosted by 20th Century Fox. I was not paid to write this post. It's so crazy that two weeks ago I knew very little about Phineas Taylor Barnum. I knew he started the circus I grew up with, but little more. Since seeing the upcoming Christmas motion picture "The Greatest Showman," I have thought little else but this man, his life, and the story that inspired this beautiful new movie, which is fortunately a musical but not just a musical. He was not ony a brilliant business man, but he was a family man Read More

08Dec

Review: The Parisian Woman at the Hudson Theater

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Beau Willimon wrote "The Parisian Woman, now playing on Broadway in NYC. He is also the creator of Netflix's "House of Cards" and the upcoming series "The First" on Hulu. From what I understand, he is constantly making changes to his new play, which takes place in contemporary Washington, D.C. and revolves around an uncannily familiar President who we don't learn is called Trump near the end of the play. But believe me, it is completely obvious that this play was written to reflect the tumultuous, turbulent, twisted times we are living in. I actually Read More